Dr. Adil Rasheed, Research Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), delivered a presentation on “Deobandism and Its Offshoots: Taliban and Tableeghi Jamaat” during the Monday Morning Meeting held on 12 January 2026. Dr. Ashok K. Behuria, Senior Fellow, MP-IDSA, moderated the session. Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy, Director General of MP-IDSA, participated in the meeting along with other scholars from the Institute.

Executive Summary

Deobandism is a historically rooted Islamic movement whose evolution from an anti-colonial reformist response in late nineteenth-century India has given it enduring religious, political, and security significance in South Asia. Originating in 1866 in the aftermath of the 1857 revolt, the Deobandi tradition developed within a Hanafi–Ash’ari–Maturidi theological framework that sought to preserve Islamic identity under colonial rule while disciplining Sufi practice through strict adherence to Shariah. Over time, the movement generated divergent trajectories. The discussion situated these strands within contemporary regional dynamics, including India’s calibrated engagement with the Afghan Taliban, the deteriorating Pakistan–Taliban relationship, and persistent ideological contestations over nationalism, jihad, and the Durand Line. Overall, Deobandism is not a monolith but an internally contested tradition whose historical legacy continues to shape religious authority, militancy, and state–society relations across the subcontinent.

Detailed Report

Dr. Behuria provided a historical and theological overview of Deobandism, noting that it emerged in 1866, nine years after the 1857 Revolt. The movement was a response to the severe persecution of the Muslim community by the British, who reportedly executed thousands of Ulema. To preserve Islamic faith and identity under this assault, founders, including Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi and Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, established the Darul Uloom seminary in Deoband. Theologically, Deobandism is identified as a Hanafi-Ash’ari-Maturidi tradition that occupies a middle ground between literalist Atharis and rationalist Mu’tazilites. It has also revolutionised Islamic thought in India. While Dr. Behuria noted that the Barelvi denomination views them as heretics, the movement has achieved significant global influence, spreading across Africa, the Americas, and Europe, and is the school of thought practiced by the Taliban.

Dr. Adil Rasheed provided a detailed, layered examination of Deobandism as a religious movement, political force, and ideological framework with deep historical roots and significant contemporary implications for South Asia’s security and geopolitics. He traced Deobandism’s intellectual genealogy to Mughal-era reformist thought, particularly the synthesis attempted by Shah Waliullah Dehlawi between Sufi spirituality and Salafi-Wahhabi ideology, and explained how this synthesis was institutionalised through the establishment of Darul Uloom Deoband in 1866 as a form of cultural and ideological resistance to British colonialism. Furthermore, he carefully distinguished between Deobandism’s multiple manifestations: its missionary expression (with insidious undertones) through the Tableeghi Jamaat; its nationalist and constitutionalist strand in India that historically aligned with the Congress and upheld secularism as compatible with Islamic principles; and its militant political expression in Pakistan and Afghanistan, most notably through the Afghan Taliban and allied jihadist groups. Dr. Rasheed situated these strands within evolving regional dynamics, particularly the deteriorating Pakistan-Taliban relationship, India’s calibrated engagement with the Afghan Taliban, and the ideological roots of conflicts involving the Durand Line and Pashtun nationalism.

In addition, he explained Deobandism’s adherence to Hanafi jurisprudence and Ash’ari-Maturidi philosophy, its scepticism of Western rationalism and scientific causality, and its emphasis on disciplined, Sharia-bound Sufism, which together shape Deobandi attitudes towards jihad, nationalism, and state authority. At the same time, he underscored persistent critiques of Deobandism—from Salafi-Wahhabis, Barelvi Sufis, Shia groups, and liberal Muslim intellectuals—while noting its disproportionate influence over religious institutions, madrassas, and Muslim public discourse in the subcontinent. Overall, he framed Deobandism not as a monolith but as a complex, internally contested tradition whose historical evolution continues to shape contemporary politics, militancy, and state–religion relations in South Asia.

Q/A Session

The Q&A session delved into the complexities of the Muslim Ummah and its identity, questioning its transnational nature and the prevalence of dynastic leadership within religious groups—a practice that contradicts the Islamic principle of equality. The discussion also explored the historical impact of philosophical movements such as Darwinism and Marxism on religion, specifically highlighting the roles of Karl Marx and Friedrich Nietzsche. Furthermore, participants examined the influence of the Deobandi tradition on women’s rights in India and Afghanistan, the distinctions between classical Sufism and other movements, and the disconnect between elite intellectual debates and the lived realities of radicalised groups and the masses. Finally, the session addressed the potential for broader reconciliation among ecclesiastical traditions and the regional unease sparked by Afghan Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India.

The speaker provided comprehensive responses to all comments and questions raised.

This report was prepared by Ms. Saman Ayesha Kidwai, Research Analyst, Counter-Terrorism Centre, MP-IDSA.